01806nas a2200181 4500008004100000245010700041210006900148300001200217490000800229520124300237653001301480653001601493653002801509653001001537100001701547700002101564856003901585 1998 eng d00aThe social behavior of individual oval squids (Sepioteuthis lessoniana) within a captive school0 asocial behavior of individual oval squids iSepioteuthis lessonia a161-1780 v1043 aThe social behaviour of individually identified squids was observed over a period of 4 mo. Squids were reared in captivity and maintained in a shoal of up to 18 animals. Distances between animals averaged 1.6 body lengths, similar to the 1.2 body lengths of wild teleost fish schools. Smaller animals schooled less frequently and were found at the periphery, and familiar and unfamiliar animals shoaled together. Eighty-six apparent reproductive events were observed. This species of squid, Sepiotenthis lessoniana, is not sexually dimorphic to the human eye and male squids copulated with both males and females but they directed their attentlon disproportionately towards females. Most copulations occurred more than a month before spawning, lasted only a few seconds and, unlike field observations on spawning grounds, were not followed by mate-guarding. Two body patterns are described that were used consistently in social interactions by both males and females; these patterns were both associated with reproductive behaviour but their exact function was unclear. A sister species, Spoterrthis sqrordea, has been described as showing complex social behaviour; in .C lessoniana, nu evidence for such behaviour was seen.10abehavior10aCephalopoda10aSepioteuthis lessoniana10asquid1 aBoal, J., G.1 aGonzalez, S., A. uhttp://cephbase.eol.org/node/14926